Inseparable
by Becca Stareyes
Summary: Zelgadis's life is rough enough as a chimera looking for a nearly impossible to find cure. But when he discovers someone or something is trying to control his movements, things can only get worse. T for swearing, innuendo, and nudity, Zel x Amelia
1. Chapter 1

****

Prologue

"I'm glad you came. I didn't know who else to talk to, what with Gracia gone. It'd not like I can talk to Daddy about this."

"I see... and what--"

"It's Zelgadis-san. It's been over a year since we parted ways in the Outer World and I haven't seen him since. He hasn't even written!"

"Well, you know how the mail is..."

"He's not coming back, is he?"

"Now, I don't know about that. You just have to trust in--"

"I don't _want_ to trust in _anyone_! I'd go out myself to give him a piece of my mind, but Daddy wants me to stay home."

"You really have it bad. Does Zelgadis know how you feel?"  
"I don't know... I think he does."

"Jerk."  
"Don't say such mean things about him! Even if they are true..."

"Well, what would you have me say about him? He abandoned you!"

"I don't know... I'm sorry I'm being so annoying."  
"No, I think you needed to get this off your back. Good seeing you again, Amelia."

****

Chapter 1

The road runs on and on... through some of the most boring country Zelgadis had ever seen. Nothing but farmland for miles, broken up by the occasional cow pasture or the _very rare _group of farmhouses that, with some imagination, could be called a town. 

__

No cure here, Zel thought. _Just days spent traveling to get somewhere worth looking. _

*SMACK!*

Zelgadis was knocked flat. He stood up, readjusting his cloak, and reached out in front of him. His hand touched empty air. He shrugged and tried to take a step forward. 

It was like stubbing his toe on a brick wall. Zel spent several minutes muttering expletives and hopping about on one foot in pain, which, of course, led to more collisions with the invisible barrier and, thus, more cursing and wild movement, culminating with one final collision, knocking him flat on his face again. 

"Kuso..." Zel sat down in the road to ponder the situation. _The barrier is only present when I try to walk across it_, he noted. _Maybe another form of movement..._

Fifteen minutes later, Zel had discovered (the hard way) that, not only could he not walk, hop or stumble across the barrier, he couldn't crawl, fly, run, jump, skip... _Well, I think the pattern here is obvious. _The infuriating thing was that it only seemed to apply to him -- birds, small, furry, crop-eating rodents, and even the sweat gnats trying unsuccessfully to make a meal out of him seemed to treat the barrier as if it wasn't there... which it wasn't. Except for him. 

"Excuse me, sir?" 

Zel looked at the farmer, who was giving him a look of polite annoyance for blocking the road. "Yes?" he said coldly. 

"Well, you look like a traveler. Need a lift to the next town?"

__

If I can't get there under my own power... "Sure, that would be nice." Zel managed to climb onto the wagon without running into the invisible wall. The farmer, seeing Zel was seated in the back and not squishing any of his award winning crop of cabbages, tried to start the horse moving again.

The wheels and axels made a groaning sound... the sound of stressed wood... not a good sound. Zel felt an immense pressure on him and, once again, was knocked prone. _Remind me to knock whoever created this damn barrier on their face_, he thought angrily. 

The farmer stopped his horse and went back to inspect the wheels. "We seem to be stuck," he informed Zelgadis congenially. "Nothing a little elbow grease wouldn't fix. I'll just check the wheels... oddd... they look clear... hey, stranger, where're you going?"

Zel had gotten off and started walking back the way he had came. "I just remembered... I left something in the inn I stayed at last night. Thanks for the offer, though."

"Uh... sure. No problem." The farmer got back in his wagon, which seemed to work fine now. "Guess it was just a bad spot in the road... what an odd person. Wonder why he was dressed like that? Well, I guess that's what you get in for'n parts. I'll have to tell the kids... they'll think it's interesting..."

Zel continued retracing his steps until he reached one of the cow pastures. "Alright," he said to himself. "Someone wants to keep me out... or in. So, if I figure out what direction the barrier is going, I'll have narrowed down the sources."

After a half hour of walking parallel to the barrier, a few near-misses from various 'livestock byproducts' and countless odd looks from grazing cows, Zel stopped and got out his map, sextant and compass. "Let's see... it's abut noon now... north is to my right... I passed through that town yesterday.... So, I'm here and the wall runs like so." He marked the map, then drew a perpendicular to the line representing the wall. "Nothing much in the area I can't reach... farmland until the ocean. So, what's on the side I can reach? And stop looking at me like that... I'm allowed to talk to myself," he informed a passing cow. "L-sama, maybe I have spent too much time on my own... now, where was I?" He traced the perpendicular he had drawn with his finger until he reached a very familiar little black dot.

"Sailoon."

Author's Note:

Someone please tell me this is at least marginally funny. I'm not much of a humor writer... and I was trying to emulate one of my favorite authors and be somewhat sophisticated. So... betcha can't guess what's causing the barrier that is annoying Zelgadis so... or who Amelia was talking to in the prologue. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Zelgadis finally made it to Sailoon... no east feat when one cannot retrace one's steps if one finds a bad path. _I'll just detour around it -- towns are too hard to navigate like this_. Zel turned at the next side road. He walked for a while, watching people pass him, heading towards Sailoon City, when...

*THUNK*

After picking himself up off of the ground, Zel checked his map. "I didn't get turned around... the barrier must have changed directions... unless..." Zel drew in another perpendicular. "They intersect in Sailoon... near the center of the city."

_Well, it couldn't hurt to go see Amelia... maybe she knew how to break this curse._ "Ray Wing!" Zel decided to avoid the maze of streets of the White Magic Capital and just take it as the sorcerer flies. A few blocks from the front gate he was flagged out of the air by a guard. 

"Sir, are you aware you are flying in a no-fly zone?"

Zel readjusted his cloak. "Excuse me?"

"City ordinance prohibits flying within 50 feet of public buildings."

"No one ever told me."

"Well, I'll let you off with a warning... this time... Please state your name and business here."

"Zelgadis Graywords. I'm here to see Princess Amelia."

The guard barked out a laugh. "And I'm the bandit killer Lina Inverse. You know, sonny, how many would-be crazy stalkers try that line on me every day?"

"I can imagine, but..."

"And some of the are even weirder than you! Honestly, I'll be happy when the Princess is happily married off." The guard had started in on a rant. Like most rants, it was like a stampede... loud and nearly impossible to stop. 

"But, really, I was just here a few..."

"It's like they're all convinced that, somehow, if the Princess catches sight of them, she'll instantly fall madly in love and demand to His Highness that her and John Peasant be married immediately."

"I'm telling you, I know her!"Zelgadis was quickly losing patience with the guard. Obviously, he must have been hired since Zel had last been to Sailoon -- otherwise this conversation would have been over almost before it started. Zel sighed and pulled out his canteen, removing a pink bracelet that was looped around the mouth. "See this? Know what it means?"

"That you are a closet crossdresser?"

"NO! It's one of Amelia's bracelets! She gave it to me when we parted ways!"

"Let me see..." The guard took the bracelet from Zel and examined it before giving it back to the chimera.

"Now what do you have to say for yourself?" Zel said smugly. 

"You're either a very skilled forger or a very stupid thief."

"She gave it to me!" Zel tried to push the guard out of the way and enter the castle. He probably would have made it, too, but someone inside saw him first.

"Zelgadis! what brings you here?" Prince Philionel greeted the chimera in his usual fashion -- a hearty slap on the back that, despite Zel's weight, nearly knocked him over.

"Actually, sir, I was here to see Amelia."

" I see..." Prince Phil looked at the bracelet in Zelgadis's hand, then at Zel, then at the bracelet again. "Exactly what are your intentions towards my daughter?"

Zelgadis's eyes nearly fell out of their sockets in shock. He also blushed, despite himself. He paused, then said, in carefully measured tones, "I just needed some help with a magic spell."

Prince Phil gave Zelgadis a look common to to fathers of teenaged girls throughout history and the Four Worlds. It said, 'I know exactly what is going through your mind, and if you touch, say anything to, or look at my baby girl in a way that is anything more than lily-white innocent, I will personally bust your head in like a walnut, because I was once a teenaged boy, and I know how you think, you pervert.' 

Zel returned the look with one of his own... one that, were motor vehicles invented yet, could be described as 'deer in headlights'. he tried to regain at least some control of the conversation. "Anyway, may I see her? If it's okay with the guard, of course."

The guard, meanwhile, realizing that Zelgadis had been telling the truth, was desperately trying to hide beneath his uniform helmet. He snapped to attention when Zel mentioned him. "Since His Highness can confirm your story, you may enter."

"Great," Zel said. Phil was still giving him The Look as he led him to the castles main chamber, and, invisible barrier or no invisible barrier, Zel was fighting the urge to run far away and join an order of celibate monks. 

Phil motioned him to a chair. "I'll just go tell Amelia you're here." Once Phil left, Zel relaxed. _You know, there's no logical reason he should scare me... I've faced down mazoku before... but anyone who uses an attack called Pacifist Crush has to be a few nuts short of a fruit basket._

A short time later, Amelia entered the hall. "Zelgadis-san!" she ran up, as if to hug him, but, at the last minute, she stopped suddenly and took his hand. "It's good to see you again."

Zel nodded. "You too..."

"So, what brings you to Sailoon?"

"Well, actually, I have a bit of a problem..."

"Oh..." Amelia sounded vaguely disappointed. "What is it?"

Zelgadis, meanwhile, had realized he hadn't run into the invisible wall for a while. He tried to take a step backwards and felt his foot his something... it was still there... He tried to move to the side and felt the same wall... so either he was standing on the center of the spell or...

Zel tried to remove his hand from Amelia's grasp. It stuck like glue. "Kuso..."

"Excuse me, Zelgadis-san?"

"It's a funny story..."

"That's nice... Can you let go of my hand now?"

"I think we better bring in your father as well." Phil was NOT gonna like this...

**Author's Note**

More fun with Zel... and now Amelia and Phil... my friend burst out laughing at the crossdressing remark... this probably will be Z/A. You know, Phil is a lot of fun to write... I've never really done it before. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"So that's it," Zelgadis drummed the fingers of his free hand nervously on Prince Phil's desk. Phil hadn't taken his eyes off of the chimera's _unfree_ hand. Zel got the distinct impression that a significant part of Phil's brain was seriously considering breaking his oath of 'pacifism', taking Zel's hand, forcibly removing it from Amelia's (and, for that matter, from his arm), and tossing it (and several other bits of chimera anatomy) off of the tallest tower in the castle. 

"I see..." Prince Phil said. "You have the resources of Sailoon at your disposal to break this spell... as soon as possible."

"Certainly, Daddy," Amelia said cheerfully. "Between Zelgadis-san, the magical resources of Sailoon, and myself, I'm sure we can find out what happened." She tried to pose dramatically, forgetting Zel still had a hold of her hand and nearly knocked him out of his chair.

"I have faith in you, Amelia," Phil said. "Good luck."

After the two left Phil's office, Amelia started leading Zel to the castle library. "I thought I saw something that could relate in an old book..." she explained. Zel nodded. Amelia continued, "Wonder why Daddy was so upset? It's not like him."

"I should think that would be obvious."

"Excuse me?"

"Your father doesn't trust a grown man around his daughter -- especially one who is cursed to remain touching her. He thinks touching can lead to... well, other things." Zel blushed despite himself. _Why does Amelia have his effect on me?_ It wasn't that she was female -- he has no objections to joking with Lina about the status of her and Gourry's relationship. What was so special about Amelia?

"I trust you, Zelgadis-san. You would never take advantage of a girl in this situation."

"It's not your trust that I call into question... oh, we're here." The two entered the library. Amelia immediately dragged Zel over to the shelves.

"Now let's see... where are the magic books again... hey! Look, Zelgadis-san!"

"Did you find something?"

"Um... no... I haven't read this book yet, and it looked interesting... Daddy must have ordered it for me." She handed him a paperback novel. "Ooh! I didn't know this was out yet! And this one looks good... have you read it?" She added a few more novels to the pile.

"Amelia, aren't the magic books towards the back?"

"But, Zelgadis-san! I haven't been here for a while. This will only take a few minutes, then we can check out the magic books."

Zelgadis sighed. "Amelia... this is important. I don't want to be stuck like this forever."

"You will just have to be patient, Zelgadis-san. We'll find it eventually."

"Don't be so blase about this -- it affects you too."

"It doesn't bother me. I can put up with some minor inconvenience."

"Minor inconvenience?" Zelgadis gave her an angry look and, were this a public library, would have been shushed by the librarian. "You know what? I think you like this!"

"What?" Amelia looked shocked.

"You like this. You like having me in this position..."

"Of all the unjust..." 

"I thought you were different, Amelia," Zel was in full bitter angry angst mode now. "I thought you genuinely liked me and wanted to help me. I guess you're just another crazy fangirl starved for attention. They're like mazoku -- they feed off of angst, you know. If I wanted a fangirl, I would have taken up with Martina a couple of years ago."

"Martina-san..."

"Yes, Martina," Yes, Zel had resorted to pulling the jealousy string. "You know, she was putting on the whole 'Zelgadis-sama kawaii!' act the whole time I was in Xoana. I think..."

"Zelgadis-san, stop being a moron and trying to make me jealous and listen to me!" Amelia tugged on his hand nearly knocking him off balance. Zel started at her... he very rarely heard her insult someone who wasn't acting unjustly. Amelia continued, "Who do we know that is skilled with curses?"

"Martina!?"

"I _was_ talking to her about a week or two ago. About you."

"What did you say about me?" Zelgadis looked interested.

"That you're a moron who doesn't even write. Remember, Martina-san is a romantic. She was always looking for her own Knight in Shining Armor, and after she found Zangulus-san... well, you saw the looks she was giving Lina-san and Gourry-san."

Zel considered this. It made a surprising amount of sense. "Well, there is only one thing we can do. We'll just have to go to Xoana and get Martina to break the curse. Even if she didn't cause it," his tone of voice made it clear he thought it unlikely, "she might have an idea on what did." He nodded and turned to leave the library.

"Um... Zelgadis-san?"

"I'm sure your dad will let you go... we'll have to head to your room to pack traveling supplies... what is it, Amelia?"

"I think I have to use the bathroom."

Zelgadis sweatdropped. _I'm not going to need a cure -- Prince Phil will kill me first._

**Author's Note**

Well, Our Heroes finally know their nemesis -- maybe. Now there's the simple matter of getting to Xoana... Amelia's a bit OOC in this -- but I think she's more than a little annoyed at Zelgadis. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Zelgadis woke up the next day with a horrible crick in his arm. He and Amelia had stopped at an inn in a town on the border of Sailoon for the night on their way to Xoana, and he, like a complete (if gentlemanly) idiot, insisted Amelia take the bed and he take the floor beside the bed. "Next time, we sleep on the same level," he commented to himself, trying to ease the aching pain in his arm without moving it to much and waking Amelia. "Propriety be damned, I want use of my arm when this is done."

This verbal outburst was enough to wake Amelia. "Morning, Zelgadis-san." Zel helped her sit up on the bed. "Itai... my arm hurts..."

"So does mine... it'll pass."

"You know, maybe if I had slept on the floor as well..."

"I suppose." Zelgadis didn't add that, if they would be sleeping in close proximity in a room with a bed, they might as well use it. _Amelia would just take it the wrong way_.

Amelia stood up, still wearing the dress from yesterday, when they had left the palace. It looked... well, it looked like the wearer had done several hours of walking, then slept in it. Amelia tried to straighten it ineffectually. 

Zel, who had also slept in his clothing, but, since his clothing could probably stand up to a Dragon Slave (and has), he looked presentable (well, at least as presentable as he always looks), sighed. "I don't think that will help, Amelia."

"I have my traveling clothing in my bag, but I can't get it on," Amelia complained. "I couldn't even get this dress off. The sleeve wouldn't go over your body."

"Well, you will just have to deal." Pain made Zel a cranky chimera.

"Easy for you to say, Zelgadis-san," Amelia snapped back, "but some of us actually _care_ how we look."

"_I_ care."

"Only to complain about how you look like a monster."

Zel realized this was just going to end with them not speaking to each other... bad when two people are traveling together... worse when they were attached to one another. "Let's just get some breakfast... we'll feel better when we aren't hungry and when I get the feeling back in my arm."

Zel led Amelia downstairs and got a table at the combination restaurant/tavern that seems to exist in every fantasy inn. A waiter walked over. "May I take your order?"

"I'd like this and this and this," Amelia said, pointing to the menu. "And a cup of tea."

"You're turning into Lina," Zelgadis commented.

"No... Lina-san would have ordered triple portions of that," Amelia said. "Besides, Zelgadis-san, you are no Gourry Gabriev."

Zel blushed a bit. After all, _everyone_ knew about Lina and Gourry. He recovered his composure. "Yes. Unlike Gourry, I'm actually useful without a magic sword."

The waiter gave them a look of impatience. "Would the gentleman like to order, or would he just like to flirt with his lady friend some more?"

"We're not flirting," Zelgadis informed him coldly. "I'd like some coffee... and a fried egg."

The waiter scurried off and quickly returned with their order. "Ikidekimasu!" Amelia made a grab for her fork and realized that was the hand Zelgadis was holding. "Well, this could pose a bit of a problem."

Amelia's comment seemed to bring the couple to the attention of two local men seated at the bar. "Can't keep yer hands offa her, eh, Rocky?" one said loudly. 

"Woulda thought those two got enougha each other last night in their room," his friend added.

Zelgadis rolled his eyes, but ignored the two drunks. He watched Amelia try to eat with her off hand only, then lowered his voice, to talk to her without being overheard. "Amelia... I have an idea. Step on my foot."

"If you say so..." Amelia did so.

Zelgadis bit back a yelp. "Not with the heel... and not that hard! Perhaps I should have said rest the ball of your foot on mine."

"Well, I suppose that makes more sense... not much more, I'm afraid, Zelgadis-san."

"It's simple... as long as some part of me is touching some part of you, the specifics shouldn't matter. Just like when I was traveling to Sailoon -- as long as I didn't step away, I could still circle the city to my heart's content." Zelgadis removed his hand from Amelia's. "See?"

Amelia dug into her food with an intensity normally only seen when she was near Lina and Gourry and mealtimes were like battles over who got to eat what. Between mouthfuls, she said, "But that still doesn't solve our basic problem, Zelgadis-san. We can't exactly walk for this... though it _is_ more convenient for eating."

Zel nodded. "We'll still have to go to Xoana. I estimate we can make there tomorrow." He glanced at their two hecklers, who were whispering comments to each other and snickering. Even with his heightened hearing, he couldn't make out all the words. From the words he _could_ make out, he was glad Amelia wouldn't be able to hear them at all -- virgin princess ears shouldn't be subject to that. Besides, most of their speculation was completely untrue. "I think we'll camp outside tonight. Inns are too crowded."

**Author's Note** I'm going for the short chapters update often approach -- expect another chapter soon... Not much else to say, except I love the fact I'm getting reviews and that I can actually, apparently ,write humor. Expect 2-3 more chapters to this story before I finish it. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Zelgadis-san! I'm hot." They were on the road again and actually making good time. The sun was just beginning to set over the treetops, coloring them golden. "And itchy... and dusty... I would swear allegiance to Ruby Eye Shabranigdu for a nice bath and clean clothing."

Zelgadis stopped. "Well, what would you have me do, Amelia? Cut off my arm so you can change?"

"Don't be an idiot, Zelgadis-san. I think i have an idea... just find up a campsite near a pond or something."

The two stopped to camp near a clearing. A stream was flowing right next to it, with a waterfall and deep pool a short walk from it -- in other words, just like every other campsite one or more of the Slayers cast (and every other band of traveling heroes) has camped in. Zel began to gather firewood with his free hand. "Amelia, help me out here by clearing a spot for the fire."

"Zelgadis-san..." Amelia tried to drag him towards the stream.

"Let's get camp set up first," Zelgadis told her. The two finished setting up a campfire, needing only to light it, and spreading out their sleeping rolls.

"Now?" Amelia asked. Zelgadis nodded and let her lead him to the shore of the pool. "I'd take off your shoes and roll up your pant legs, if I were you, Zelgadis-san."

Zel sat down on the bank and began to pull off his shoes. "What exactly do you have planned, Amelia?"

"Well..." she hesitated, blushing a bit. "remember breakfast yesterday?"

"Yeah... so?"

"Then just do exactly as I say, Zelgadis-san." She moved their clasped hands to the nape of her neck, then freed her hand, leaving his resting on her neck. She stretched her now-free hands. "That feels so good..."

"Now what?" 

"Now you close your eyes?"

"Why?" Zelgadis asked. "We're in the middle of the woods, off the road, surrounded by wild beasts! And, knowing our luck, even though Lina's not here, probably bandits, mazoku and all kinds of creatures from the depths of Hell just waiting for us to turn our backs or go to sleep! So why should I let my guard down by closing my eyes?"

"Because I need to take off my clothing to bathe." Amelia's voice was calm and level, and the only clue to her awkwardness was the deepening blush on her face. "Unless you want to see me naked, close your eyes, Zelgadis-san."

"Oh." Zel closed his eyes anyway. He heard the soft rustling of cloth. After about a minute, he felt Amelia take his hand again, bringing it back down to his side. 

"Sorry, Zelgadis-san." she said sheepishly. "I have to get this over my head and you're in the way."

"Not a problem. Just warn me when you're getting in the water, okay?"

More rustling cloth. "Okay, Zelgadis-san. I'm getting in. Take about two steps forward, then step down. And could you hold my clothing for me?" she placed a bundle in his free hand. zel took it, trying not to think about what some of the things he was handling were. Then he tried not to think about what he would see if he were to open his eyes. Eventually, Zel just sighed and let himself indulge in his fantasies, which had to be removed from the fanfic, in according to Fanfiction.net's policy about adult content. Well, that and the author posts these things on her website, which she shows off to everyone, including family members. But, back to the story...

"The water feels so good, Zelgadis-san!"

Zel thought the water was freezing and he was sure he felt something try to nibble on his toes before swimming off to contemplate a life without solid food. "It feels great, Amelia."

Amelia gave a very relaxed sigh. Zel heard a few splashes. "You know, Zelgadis-san, you should take a bath after me. You're starting to smell a bit."

"I don't get BO, Amelia. One of the benefits of being a chimera."

"Well, I barely notice it... and actually, it's kind of a nice smell," Amelia used her diplomacy, a word that is synonymous with the little white lie.

"Yare yare, isn't _this_ a cozy situation?" a very familiar voice said smoothly.

"Xellos!" Zelgadis balled his free hand into a fist.

"Xellos-san! It is very unjust to peek on an innocent young maiden while she's bathing!" Zel felt his arm get yanked on as Amelia tried to preserve her modesty by covering herself with her arms.

"Note my eyes are completely closed, Amelia-san," Xellos said. "I would check on your boyfriend, though. Considering where an 'innocent young maiden' such as yourself positioned his hand, I wouldn't be surprised if he should take a peek."

Amelia quickly dropped the hand Zel was holding back to her side. Zel, for his part, breathed a sigh of relief -- he had noticed rather quickly where his hand had ended up, and he had been trying not to do anything Gourry-like like comment or touch or something. "Xellos-san! How dare you accuse a gentleman like Zelgadis-san of peeking!"

"Gentleman?" Xellos said, sounding perplexed. "Are we talking about the same Zelgadis Graywords?"

"How dare you!" Amelia was descending into a Filia-style mazoku-induced rage. "In the name of Justice, I will defend Zelgadis-san from your slanderous accusations. _Visfarank_!"

Amelia started running after Xellos, yelling about how she was going to punish him with her Fists of Justice. Zelgadis tried to 1) keep up with Amelia 2) not trip and 3) not open his eyes -- which is about as hard to do as it sounds. Xellos, for his part, was having a grand old time, floating just out of striking range. He hadn't had this much fun since he 'accidentally' on purpose broke Filia's favorite tea set, then tried to pin it on baby Val. 

Eventually, the inevitable happened: Zelgadis tripped and fell on his face, and Amelia had to scramble to avoid being knocked over and pinned to the ground by several hundred pounds of chimera, breaking the concentration on her spell. Lucky for Zelgadis, they were near the shore and, instead of sinking to the bottom, all he suffered for his fall was a few mouthfuls of water. 

"Well, I think I'll leave you two alone," Xellos said smugly. "You know how I feel about love... and the emotions accompanying actions associated with it. Besides, I owe Sailoon an explanation, if only for the wonderful ice cream they make. Goodbye!" Xellos disappeared. "Zelgadis-san, are you okay?" amelia bent down to check on him. Zel managed to pull himself up into a sitting position, coughing up some of the water he had swallowed. He looked at Amelia. "I just tripped."

Both of them realized at the same time that Amelia wasn't wearing her clothing. Both turned identical shades of crimson. Zelgadis reached towards his collar and undid the clasp on his cloak. 

"Zelgadis-san..." Amelia said uncertainly. 

Zel removed his cloak and draped it over her shoulders. "Here," he then reached down and pulled out what looked like a pile of wet rags. It was Amelia's dress. "You said you brought a change of clothing. Looks like you'll need it."

"You better change too, Zelgadis-san," Amelia pulled the cloak tightly around herself. "You'll catch cold if you stay in those wet things. well, unless you want to bathe as well?"

"I'm wet enough as is. Besides, knowing my luck, Xellos will show up again and start making comments about how far down the rocks really go."

"Um... Zelgadis-san... out of curiosity, how far down _do_ they go?" Amelia looked completely serious and innocent, except for a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Zel didn't answer verbally. Instead, he balanced on his left foot, while holding the right one up for Amelia's inspection. 

The two managed to change without incident. Zel got the fire started and they cooked and ate dinner, setting their wet clothing by the fire to dry while they slept. As they settled down to sleep, amelia asked, "Zelgadis-san?"

"Yeah, amelia?"

"Do you think Xellos-san will really tell Daddy about that?" It was an accident, after all. You didn't mean to open your eyes."

"We're probably safe. Well, at least until we get back to Sailoon. Why do it now when you can wait until I'm within Pacifist Crushing distance?"

"I'll try to explain things to daddy beforehand. it was my fault, after all. I was the one who wanted to take a bath, and I hate to see you get in trouble with Daddy for that."

"Thanks, Amelia." After a few moments of silence, he added. "We'll probably make Xoana by midmorning tomorrow. Then we can have a word with Martina about this."

"Yes... Good night, Zelgadis-san."

"Night, Amelia."

**Author's Note**

I must say, this is the most 'adult' thing I have ever written. I had to do something like this... I blame the 3 hours of Love Hina I watched this weekend. Besides, it gave me an excuse to cameo Xellos, embarrass both main characters, and get Amelia back into her traveling clothing. stay tuned for the concluding chapter soon... maybe...


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

They noticed the sign before they entered the city: 

Xoana 

Population: 89,400. 

810 Days since last Dragon Slave

Lina Inverse NOT welcome, except by Royal Decree

"I guess we're here," Zel commented. Amelia nodded. "Now, to the Palace."

They strolled through the streets of Xoana, watching the people work industriously under the watchful stare of several thousand Maijin Zoalmegustar icons. Zel shivered. "If Martina was designing a god, why did she have to make one that was so creepy looking?"

"Martina-san always was a bit odd. She and Onee-san were good friends as kids. They used to play dress-up with Mother's old clothing. Well, that and try to summon demons in the backyard. They even let me watch, and they promised if they actually managed to summon one, I could smite it in the name of Justice." Amelia smiled fondly at her childhood memories.

Zel once again thought that, even if he were to marry into the Sailoon Royal Family, he still would be more normal than average for the family, despite being a chimera with a great-grandfather who tried to resurrect Shabranigdu. _Hell, _Xellos_ could marry into that family, and no one would consider it odd._

They approached the castle, rebuilt in Martina's typical style (so overdone it would make an architect cry and plastered with even more art devoted to the glory of Maijin Zoalmegustar). The two guards at the gate saw them approach. "Halt. State your name, place of origin, reason for coming, if you're expected, and how long you plan to stay."

"I suppose you want my shoe size and mother's maiden name, too?" Zel asked sarcastically. 

"Hello, Fred-san!" Amelia greeted the guards. "Shawn-san, how's your mother?"

"She's fine," the younger guard answered. "Here to see Her Highness, Princess Amelia? And is that a friend of yours?"

"Yes to both. Could you tell her I've arrived? I should have sent notice ahead, but this was kind of an impromptu visit."

"Sure," the guard grinned. "Follow me." he led them into the throne room. "Her Highness Princess Amelia wil Tesla sailoon and some creepy looking guy here to see... oh, hello, your Highness."

Zangulus was seated on the floor at the foot of the throne, an infant across form him. Judging from the baby's coloration -- blue eyes and wisps of dark green hair -- Zelgadis and Amelia were looking at the next ruler of Xoana. A nurse hovered nearby, in case the baby sneezed or got a funny look. Zangulus wasn't paying attention to her or to the visitors. He had a large set of flash cards and was holding them up one at a time for his child's inspection. "See, this is a broadsword... and this is a rapier... and this is Daddy's Howling Sword that Mommy thinks he got rid of..." he looked up. "Oh, hello, Zelgadis, amelia."

"What are you doing, Zangulus?" Zelgadis asked. 

"Teaching little Zarathustra here the rudiments of swordsmanship. You can never start them too young," Zangulus beamed, every bit the proud father. Little Zarathustra, however, seemed much more interested in the culinary properties of the flash cards than the pictures of instruments of pointy death. 

"Um... yeah..." Zel sweatdropped. "Where's Martina?"

"Zangulus, did I hear we have visitors?" Martina strode in. Her dress sense had changed much since her days of being a crazy curse happy princess. Must have been the whole pregnancy thing, since it looked like little Zarathustra would be getting a new brother or sister in a few months. "Why, Amelia, how nice to see you again! And, look! You brought Zelgadis! And you're even holding hands. My Maijin Zoalmegustar bless your union. Here, have a religious icon. Great for fertility. We'll be sure to come to the wedding, won't we, Zangulus dear?" Her words were innocent enough, but she had a kittenish look in her eyes.

"Um... yeah..." Zangulus nodded distractedly.

"Martina..." Zelgadis walked forward slowly, a menacing look in his eyes. Surprisingly, Amelia overtook him.

"Martina-san! Did you put this spell on Zelgadis-san?"

"So what if I did?" MArtina asked defensively. "He deserved it. He was a moron and tried to ignore true love. So, I used the power of Maijin Zoalmegustar to punish his lack of faithfulness."

"It is unjust to force someone to do something against their will!"

Zel, recognizing an unstoppable force hitting an immovable object, decided to take matters into his own hands. Zangulus gave him a look of sympathy, as Zelgadis started walking towards the other parts of the castle. Martina and Amelia continued to argue as they followed him out the door and down the hall.

"What about your needs?" MArtina asked. "Isn't it unjust for him to leave you hanging? He should at least tell you his feelings for you, so you'd know if he ever planned on coming back."

"The ends don't justify the means, Martina-san. Just because Zelgadis-san was being inconsiderate, does not mean you have a right to interrupt his life without even asking him!"

Zel started opening doors. _How many rooms did one family need, anyway, especially when Xoana is having a budget crisis? If Martina wasn't careful, she'd have a revolution on her hands. _

"And what was he doing that was so important? Looking for his cure? What does he need to be human for? _You_ don't care. _His friends _don't care."

"_He _cares."

"Really. Tell me, Amelia. Zel's been looking for his cure for how long? At least 3 years, all over the world. Do you really think there's a cure out there for him to find?"

Zel paused, curious as to Amelia's reaction. 

"Um... well... he only needs to get lucky once."

Zel sighed and opened the next door. It was Martina's study -- the beady eyes of Maijin Zoalmegustar stared back at him. In the center of the floor he saw what he was looking for -- a crudely drawn magic circle with a knife sticking into the floor in the center. Two items were impaled on the knife -- one looked like a woman's handkerchief, the other...

"Os that's where that sock got to," Zel said to himself. "I've been looking for it for years -- must've left it here the last time I was in Xoana." he walked inside the room.

"See?" Martina crowed over Amelia's not-quite admission. "Even you think he's waiting his life."

"So?" Amelia said. "It's Zelgadis-san's life. If he wants to die a lonely bitter old chimera, it's his business."

Zel took a hold of the knife with his free hand and pulled. It came out of the floorboards easily -- they already bore the mark of many such knives. He grabbed his sock, stuffing it in his pocket, then took Amelia's handkerchief. He set the knife on the floor, let go of Amelia's hand and walked towards the door. "Coming, Amelia?"

Amelia and Martina looked at him, then at the magic circle. "Notfairnotfairnotfairnotfair!" Zelgadis and Amelia were treated to the ugliest thing a person can see, even uglier than Chaos Dragon King Gaav in a schoolgirl uniform -- a grown adult throwing a temper tantrum. "Zangulus! Get up here and beat the snot out of Zelgadis for ruining my plan!"

"Honey!" Zangulus yelled back. "Be careful! Zarathustra was just about to have his nap, and you woke him up!"

"Maybe we better go... see you later, Martina-san. Come on, Zelgadis-san. Walk me home, okay?" Amelia practically pushed Zel out of the door. The two didn't look back until they were some distance out of Xoana.

The trip back home was uneventful. Amelia insisted on performing a few Random Acts of Justice and Zel would have asked to stop to check out libraries and temples for his cure, except he had already been through everything in the area... twice. Eventually, they reached the gates to Sailoon Castle. 

"So... this is goodbye, Amelia," Zel said. 

"No."

"No?"

"I'm coming with you, Zelgadis-san. I like traveling and I like being with you. It's a win-win situation."

"What about your duties as Princes?"

"A trained monkey could do my duties as Princess."

"Oh." Pause. "Why did you want to come back here, then?"

"I needed to get a few more things. Besides, with the way Martina-san was acting, I wanted to get a few kilometers between us and her before I stopped to ask."

"I thought you didn't believe my cure was out there?" Zelgadis looked skeptical. 

"I never said that. Besides, it's not the destination that matters, it's the journey. And, this way I don't have to say goodbye to you, at least for a while. Only hello." Amelia took his hands in hers.

"That sounds like a line from a cheesy romance novel."

"Darn... I was hoping you wouldn't notice."

Zel smiled at that.

"So?" Amelia smiled back. "Can I?"

"It's your life," Zel shrugged. "At least I'll have someone to talk to besides the cows."

"Thank yo, Zelgadis-san," Amelia said. "Maybe you aren't such a moron after all."

"Thanks a lot."

"Zelgadis-san? There's been something I've ben wanting to do since you've arrived..." Amelia said, a faint blush on her cheeks. She released his hands and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing his head down to her level. She closed her eyes and kissed him.

Zel was a bit surprised that Amelia would be so forward, but who was he he to look a gift house in the mouth? He wrapped his arms around her waist, returning the kiss. The two held that position for a while, parting at last, more for a need for air than a desire to end the moment. 

It was at that instant that prince Phil, having heard Amelia's voice, came out to greet his little girl. 

Phil saw Zel. Zel saw Phil. Phil saw where Zel's hands were and made a correct guess as to what Zel had been doing. 

"Um... hi... Phil... we were just..."

"Daddy... I can explain..." Amelia started walking towards her father, her hands out in a conciliatory gesture. 

"PACIFIST CRUSH!"

Sometimes even when we figure out we're being morons and correct, we only find new ways

THE END

**Author's Note:**

Sweet L-sama... this is only the third multi-chapter fic I've finished ever. And the first two... well, they stunk. Hope you enjoyed me picking on Zel. 

Oh yeah. Interesting tidbit. Zarathustra was named after a Persian prophet who started his own religion (Zoroasterism). My friend Uncreativity suggested it, because of that, and the fact it sounded like a name Martina would like. 

I'm probably going to start a new fic, since I limit myself to two or three at a time, in order to keep the number of notebooks I own down. I'm debating between a L/G romance with a bit of angst, a humor fic involving all four main characters, and a Slayers/Lost Universe crossover. Please, e-mail me at star_dolphin@hotmail.com if you care. Put something in the subject, so I don't mistake it for junk mail. 

Now, I gotta go, before Lina Inverse realizes I slighted her out of an appearance in a fic, and comes after me. Ja ne!

-- Stareyes


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